Transfusion MedicineTransfusion Medicine

About Department

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT	Dr. SUSHAMA D.
OP DAYS AND TIME	Monday to Saturday (8 AM to 1 PM)
SPECIALITY CLINICS	Glucoma Clinic : Wed & Thursday (8 AM to 3PM) Retina Clinic : Wed & Thursday (8 AM to 3 PM) Eye Bank : All days (24 hrs) Squint Clinic : Wed & Sat (8 AM to 3 PM) Cornea Clinic : Mon to Sat (8 AM to 3 PM) Low Vision Clinic : Mon to Sat (8 AM to 3 PM)
OT DAYS	Monday,Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
DEPARTMENT E MAIL ID	bbmctsr@gmail.com
ONLINE BOOKING	N.A.

Overview & History

In 1984, The District hospital was taken up for functioning of the Medical college. At that time, the blood bank of district hospital was designated as medical college, blood bank. RMO of the district hospital was the medical officer i/c. and the overall functioning of blood bank was carried over by staff nurse Ms.Janaky. This blood bank functioned in Thattil Kochuvareed building, near St.Thomas College. Later, Dr Suseela Jacob Innah was appointed as the Head of the Department. During those days, blood used to be collected in glass bottles that are double sterilised at CSR and ACD as anticoagulant. Pre transfusion tests included blood grouping and cross matching only.

Transfusion transmitted disease screening was not started at that time. The first TTD test to get introduced was syphilis by RPR. Later, Hepatitis screening was introduced in blood bank in 1987. Mr. M.C. Rajan Nair, who was trained from Red Cross Society blood bank, New Delhi, was in-charge of performing that test on a weekly basis.

In 1989, Dr. K.C Usha took the leadership of blood bank. Blood bank was shifted to the new facility near casualty for more convenience. Simultaneously, a new blood bank was started in medical college chest hospital, Mulakunathukavu. Initially there were only limited activities on a half day basis. Later full-fledged activities were resumed. By 2000, the blood bank in the Medical college was renamed as Department of Transfusion Medicine and Immunohaematology.

Later Dr. P Pradeepkumar took charge of the department. The blood bank that was shifted from district hospital to the first floor of new medical college OP block, new medical college hopsital, Mulamkunathkavu in 2005. Thereafter both licensed blood banks were combined into single unit and is functioning at the same address,till date.

Dr Sajith V joined the department in 2014, being the the first transfusion medicine specialist to undertake the charge of Department of Transfusion Medicine, GMC, Thrissur. From 2018 onwards, the department is headed by Dr.Sushama D (Associate professor). Other Transfusion Medicine faculties include three assistant professsors Dr. Indu P K, Dr Archana K A and Dr. Anjaly P S.

Due to the enthusiastic approach of Transfusion Medicine consultants, there was a better understanding of the applications of transfusion medicine in clinical practice. This helped in widening the horizons of transfusion medicine among the undergraduate students as well as clinical practitioners.In 2019, automated ELISA system was introduced to our blood bank for the screening of transfusion transmitted infections. As per the D&C Act amendment in 2020, all the blood banks were renamed to ‘blood centres’.

In 2020, the Department received license from Drugs Controller General fo India, for blood component separation through apheresis technology, and started to do platelet pheresis in early, 2021. This further changed the blood transfusion services especially to radiotherapy as well as pediatric patients. Towards mid 2020, durig the COVID 19 pandemic, we did the first plasmapheresis procedure to collect COVID convalescent plasma,Investigational New Drug, which helped to treat patients with severe disease. Our blood centre was at the forefront of covid convalescent plasma (CCP) therapy and contributed maximum number of CCP by apheresis all over kerala.

Another crucial contribution from this department is transfusion support of thalassemic patients with leucoreduced blood products with the support of Department of pediatrics and NRHM.The department also maintains a meticulous quality control program to assure better transfusion services by registering in EQAS program conducted by CMC vellore, to maintain the quality of the products. We aslo participate in Hemovigilance program of India. The faculties from GMC Thrissur blood bank have actively participated in the formulation of the Kerala State Transfusion Policy which was released on 07/10/20 by Smt.K.K.Shailaja, former Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of kerala.

The blood centre currently functions as the training centre for the state blood transfusion council for Thrissur, Ernakulum and palakkad districts. Our blood centre also acts as the referral centre for Thrissur district for the resolution of blood group discrepancies, crossmatch incompatibilities and other immunohematological work-ups. In 2020, the department organised a one day licence workshop for the blood bank medical officers of Thrissur district.

Courses

No direct courses under this department.

Equipments

Component separation equipments
Apheresis equipments

Achievements

Supported the hospital with plasmapheresis procedure to collect COVID convalescent plasma, investigational New Drug, which helped to treat patients with severe disease.
Our blood centre was at the forefront of covid convalescent plasma (CCP) therapy and contributed maximum number of CCP by apheresis all over kerala.

Academic Activities

Transfusion medicine department is involved in training of undergraduates as well as postgraduates from Department of pathology, microbiology, Physiology and Biochemistry.
An active training programme is provided to DMLT and nursing students on a routine basis.

Non-Teaching Staff

Sisily CN - Scientific Assistant
Shaila KN - Scientific Assistant
Sudha V - Blood bank technician Grade 1
Priya K Nair - Blood bank technician Grade 1
Smitha M - Blood bank technician Grade 1
Jishma CM - Blood bank technician Grade II
Lakshmi RS - Blood bank technician Grade II
Manuja NV - Blood bank technician Grade II NMCH
Surabhi Surendran - Blood bank technician Grade II
Jijimol MP - Blood bank technician Grade II
Mrukan VC - Blood bank technician Grade II
Sindhu KA - Blood bank technician Grade II
Neenunath PV - Blood bank technician Grade II
Sneha PM - Blood bank technician Grade II
Harishma KK - Blood bank technician Grade II
Amrutha MS - Blood bank technician Grade II
Hasna N - Blood bank technician Grade II
Rubina MP - Blood bank technician Grade II
Aneesha PA - Blood bank technician Grade II
Navas Shereef KK - Blood bank technician Grade II
Staford S Junior - Lab asssitant
Mohankumar KK - Lab attender
Pretthy Varghese - Blood bank Counselor KSACS
Sheeja KM - Blood bank technician KSACS
Jyothikrishna PB - Blood bank technician KSACS
Vibin PV - BTV driver cum attender KSACS
Sunilkumar CD - BTV attender KSACS

Alumni

Dr. Suchithra P N
Dr. Jainy Joseph
Dr. Laly T U
Dr. Mallika V
Dr. Deepa P D
Dr. Ambili K P
Dr. Subha Kurien R
Dr. Divya K
Dr. Indu V P
Dr. Hridya Mohan
Dr. Jayasree P V
Dr. Niji Valsan
Dr. Ferzana Mohammed
Dr. Rammia
Dr. Shalsnova
Dr. Prajeesh
Dr. Seena T V
Dr. Nimmy Merin Mathew
Dr. Najuba Beegumm
Dr. Reshmi S
Dr. Jaseela K
Dr. MariaTinu
Dr. Sithara Ravindran
Dr. Saraswathi
Dr. Chithra C Nair
Dr. Asha Susan Kuruvila
Dr. Nadeera
Dr. Suja Valavil

Dr. Aswathi Sankar
Dr. Shaj K Gopalan
Dr. Ramya Menon
Dr. Lakshmipriya K R
Dr. Nimmi J
Dr. Deepthi John
Dr. Shanida Hamza
Dr. Anisha Tresa Augustin
Dr. Neethu Pradeep
Dr. Aiswarya K
Dr. Biji Elizabeth
Dr. Lincy Sivasankaran
Dr. Hasna C K
Dr. Deepa George
Dr. Arya Preman
Dr. Reshma Sebastian
Dr. Geethu Gopakumar
Dr. Thanusree P
Dr. Anupama S
Dr. Anjali Shelbi
Dr. Greeshma Poulose
Dr. Rehana George
Dr. Sithara L V
Dr. Sreeniya S
Dr. Manna Maria James
Dr. Jaseena K
Dr. Anita Jose Thoppil
Dr. Sreeja Sreenivasan

Dr. Kavya Ravindran
Dr. Jasmine Khadar
Dr. Lakshmi R
Dr. Jesna Kabeer
Dr. Faiza Ibrahim
Dr. Neerej Sudheesh
Dr. Sneha Mohan
Dr. Anjali Shaji
Dr. Amrutha P M
Dr. Harsha P
Dr. Henna VV
Dr. Emin Maria
Dr. Anu Joseph Babu
Dr. Musherifa NA
Dr. Rinu John
Dr. Sheethu
Dr. Surya D
Dr. Brinda Ravi
Dr. Nandhini P Das
Dr. Kalluru Siva Chandrika
Dr. Chaithanya Chandran
Dr. Shali Mohan
Dr. Lakshmi S Kumar
Dr. Anisha Salim
Dr. Gopu Mohan
Dr. Sonam Sidheek